Samantha Bee on Maria Butina: ‘Theinformation is beginning to seem like a poor film’

Late-night hosts on Wednesday reviewed and considered the release of a bombshell tape in which Michael Cohen and Donald Trump discuss hush money pays, as well as the alleged Russian spy Maria Butina's affiliation with the NRA.

Samantha Bee

On Full Frontal, Samantha Bee discussed Maria Butina, the young Russian woman who is charged with being a spy and infiltrating the National Rifle Association( NRA ).

” If the news is starting to feel like a bad movie, it's because thanks to Maria Butina, it is ,” Bee began.

” Butina is the founder of the Russian pro-gun group Right to Bear Arms, which she allegedly used to infiltrate the GOP and NRA ,” she continued.” Her boss, Russian mobster and naughty little son Alexander Torshin, is being investigated for funneling Russian fund into the NRA to push a pro-Russian agenda .”

Bee went on to explain that Butina struck up a relationship with Paul Erickson, a South Dakota-based GOP operative who, as tribunal documents revealed, Butina ” disdained” living with.

” This is why Russia detests America ,” Bee joked.” When their spies go to England they sleep with Daniel Craig and Pierce Brosnan. When they come here they have to do collusion with Kevin from Dunder Mifflin .”

By 2016, Bee explained, Butina was a fixture at NRA events.” Who cares if Butina fancied herself a half-assed James Bond character ?” the host said.” The scariest thing is that foreign interests are literally working with powerful conservative groups like the NRA and it just got even easier .”

The host was referring to the news that the IRS no longer requires organizations like the NRA, Goodwill and Schemed Parenthood to hand over personal information about their donors.

” The fact that Butina and her shady Russian criminal chose to infiltrate the NRA likely isn't a coincidence ,” Bee said.” Any of these organizations can spend up to 49% of their money on political causes and don't have to tell anyone where it came from. This would be and is worrying with any organization, but the NRA has expended years attaining videos specifically to divide Americans .”

Stephen Colbert

” Unlike Donald Trump, I know I'm being recorded right now ,” Stephen Colbert began.” Because folks, there's a tape. Not that videotape, but still.

” Longtime spectators of Stormy Watch will recall that Karen McDougal is a Playboy playmate who claims she had a 10 -month affair with Donald Trump ,” the host continued.” McDougal's story was hushed up after she sold the rights to it to the National Enquirer for $150,000.”

Colbert added:” Trump denies the affair, and any knowledge of that pay, but last night CNN obtained one of the 12 secret Trump-Cohen tapes, this one from September 2016.”

The host proceeded to air audio of the videotape,” with Cohen detailing for Trump how they're going to pay for Karen McDougal's story “. In it, Cohen discussed opening hours a company and references David Pecker, the publisher of the National Enquirer.

” He already has the rights to McDougal's story at this point and Trump and Cohen want to buy the rights from him ASAP ,” Colbert explained.” The juiciest part of the tape, and the most difficult to hear, is the section where they discuss exactly how they're going to pay Pecker .”

Trump, in this section of the videotape, can be heard indicating they pay in “cash”.

” Cohen's legal team says that on the videotape Trump suggests be paid by McDougal with cash, but Giuliani called into Fox News last night to disagree ,” explained Colbert, who showed footage of Giuliani's appearance, where he said no one would have paid in money” unless you're a complete idiot “.

“OK,” Colbert concluded.” So he employed money .”

Trevor Noah

” We've known for a long time that President Trump once had an affair with Playboy playmate Karen McDougal ,” Noah said.” But yesterday, we learned more about the conspiracy to keep this affair quiet, thanks to Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and Sopranos background performer .”

Noah added:” It turns out, like so many Sopranos characters, Cohen was wearing a wire .”

After playing the tape, the host continued:” Just so we're clear on what this is, this tape is about hush money for Trump's playmate affair , not the porn starring affair, which are separate affairs. And all of “its also” completely different from the whole Russia affair .”

The Daily Show (@ TheDailyShow)

Finally, an audio tape is released from the Commander-in-Cheat's scandalous affair. No , not that affair, the other affair. No, wait , not that affair either … pic.twitter.com/ PL0QLcS8ow

The host went on to clarify what legal issues are at play.” Remember this ,” he said.” An affair with a playmate isn't illegal. Neither is paying hush money. Neither is having your campaign spokesman lie about it. The issue here is whether, by paying off the playboy model shortly before election day, Trump and the world's worst lawyer made an unreported campaign contribution, which would be illegal .”

” I love that the secret Playboy affair hush money tape is the proof to assistance Trump ,” Noah quipped.” It can, but you have to admit, it'll likely make an awkward dinner with Melania.' Great news, honey. The tape about my second mistress altogether gets me off the hook .'”